From Opus

Photo by alibenn
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, August 2004

Calidris mauri

[edit] Identification

Dark legs with partially webbed toes (much as Semipalmated Sandpiper), short thin dark bill, thinner at the tip with a kink that gives an impression of a downturned bill. Most birds have longer bills than Semipalmated Sandpiper but there is much overlap.
Breeding: pale basic color with many dark spots on underside and mantle, scapulars reddish-brown with black centers, reddish brown crown and ear-coverts. Semipalmated Sandpiper can also have reddish-brown but not as much as a fully marked western.
Winter: mostly pale grey upperside, white underside with whitish breast area. Semipalmated Sandpiper has darker ear-coverts and upper breast
Juvenile: rufous on upper scapulars producing a contrasting V on the back, pale breast and side and underside of head.

Breeding plumage
Photo by djleahy
Pescadero Beach, California, May 2007

[edit] Distribution

Breeds in eastern Siberia and Alaska. Migrates on both coasts of North America, far more common on the west coast where 4 million can be found in one area.

Winters in South America.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

[edit] Habitat

Photo by mrcolin2u
San Elijio, California, April 2006

Tundra, wetlands and mudflats.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

They nest in scrapes on the ground usually under some vegetation. The female selects one of several scrapes prepared by the male. The clutch consists of 4 eggs which are incubated by both adults. The female often leaves before the young have fully fledged.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes insects, small crustaceans and molluscs.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Wikipedia

• List of references

[edit] External Links